Summon Me
by Danielle Britton
Summary: She is a halfing demon minding her own business. He is a Second Alpha who was thrust upon power when Dark Beings dragged his brother to hell. One summonding out of desperation could lead to something more.
1. Chapter 1

Hello Everyone!

I know most of you know that I have other stories, but this one sort of popped in my head and I have terrible writers block with my other one. Therefore, I submit a first chapter that I hope rocks your rocks. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Danielle

Summon Me

Chapter One

Ring Around The Demon

Serena gasped out loud as she felt the slight burn of magic across her skin. A pins and needles feeling that crossed the boarder of pleasure and pain. It had awoken her from a dead sleep. She knew the feeling well, having expierenced to many times across the centuries. She felt her stomach drop, a lead pit that churned harder and harder as the magic picked up power around her. Despite the panic that rattled her she knew it was to late.

There was no running and hiding from his magic. She could not bend it to her will and deny the call around her. She was a demon and this was a matter of what her blood recongized not what she willfully denied.

She was being summonded.

The colors around her moved so fast she closed her eyes. The air thickened around her, laying heavy on her bare skin. She had recently given in the to urge to sleep naked. Loving the feeling of the soft linens on her body in the night. The only soothing lover she had ever know. Now it seemed like a bad call.

Not that it mattered. The dark magic often ripped material possesions from your body when you blinked out of time and space. Almost like an insurance policy for whoever had summonded you. It made the demon less prepared to seperate your head from your body if you were foolish enough to grant them power outside the summoning ring.

Suddenly, the air thinned around Serena, she landed hard on the new wooden floor of those who had called her. Shakily she made the move to find her feet, easing in the black room. She might be naked as the day is long but at least she could find some form of dignity while she faced those who called her.

Or not...she thought snottily as the summoning ring pulled her down on to her knees and pinned her arms forward to touch the edge of the markings that surrounded her. She looked like a damn sex slave offering pulled forward this way.

A terrible tremble rippled down her spine at the thought. This would not be the first time in her life she had been called and bound for such services. Her kind was not thought highly of by others in the Above and Below.

A demon yes.

But a half breed more so.

Many thought them little above slaves in the underworld. A pretty trinket from mommy or daddy's many love affairs...or...rapes depending on the demon. While she had power in her own right, trapped as she was by the bindings of the summoning ring there was little she could do but submit to the desires of the magic.

Lifting her head, her gaze locked with a man who stood just beyond the ring of symbols that held her captive. The darkness that consumed them meant nothing for her kind, she saw his features prefectly.

She was looking at an angel.

Her mouth suddenly felt dry, her tounge sticking to the roof of her mouth. If she didn't know better she would say he was just as surprised to see her.

...Twenty minutes before...

Darien raced through the forrest that lined the back edge of the property of his pack. Led by only by the smell of magic and kin, his bare feet beat a tempo across the summer grass. He breathed in deeply, the scent of prey filled his lungs and he veered left along the lost river path. Now he knew where the disobedient whelps were hiding to conduct their atrocity.

The old hunting cabin. He should have know. His sister, Rae, was anything but dumb. Young, reckless all those held true to her character...but dumb...no. If she was going to attempt this stupid stunt it would be just inside pack lines. Close enough to call for help, far enough away to keep unwanted guess out and give others a fighting chance is she and her cohort royally fucked this up.

Not that he could see another outcome. Powerful as the Lykans were and their pack as strong was it was...

is...he had to remember is...

this was the height of insanity to summond a being from the Dark Realm.

A being powerful enough to drag a fully grown Alpha Lykan male to the bowels of hell was not a thing to trifle with. And yet here he was racing to stop two crazy females from preforming an even crazier act. All because they wouldn't excercise some measure of patients. His anger grew with each step. He could feel his wolf prowling inside, eager to be free, eager to let the anger loose that had been simmering for two weeks. His family was hurt and his wolf wanted to hunt down those who had dared to call them prey.

HIs sister and sister in law where going to get themselves killed. The idea of telling his mother that he had lost yet another family member was a chilling and unbearable thought.

Darien slammed his way into the cabin, the old wooden door bounced off the wall, splintering in the middle.

"Tell me you are not stupid enough to summon a dark being," he snarled, feeling the canines in his mouth lengthen. He was happy to see the sudden enterance had gained him the attention of his two foolish relations. Both took a step back.

Wary of a grown males anger.

Unfortuantly it didn't last long. His sister willfully straightened her back but was smart enough to keep her eyes down cast to the side. With his temper near the boiling point it was probably not the move to make.

"We are finding a solution to our problem," Rae annouced with great authority. Darien wondered how much their mother would blame him if he was the one that actually choaked the life out of her in this dank space.

"Really?" he snarled in disbelief, his temper rising, the wolf inside howled to put the pup back in her place. He desperatly tried to hold on to control "Do you think I'm doing nothing Rae? Do you think I have spent the last month twidling my thumbs and finding joy in my rise to First Alpha with our brother gone." He stepped closer with each step, pinning her nose to nose as he glared at her. He could see the insist shame. "Maybe I'm not producing results fast enough for you, but summoning a Dark Being will get you killed or dragged into the Dark Relam like our dear brother." Just to drive the point home he added, "Tell me sister...do you wish to be raped, do you wish to be tortured. Do you want mother to cry at night more than she does and wonder what is happening to her son AND daughter."

Behind him he heard the sharp intake of breath. Part of him wanted to close his eyes in shame at making his brother's wife, Mina, more worried and panicked than she already was. But if this saved them both then he would send her realing towards insanity with a mightly push and deal with the outcome later.

Insanity was a deal-able family trait. A Dark Being's puppet was not.

He had failed to help his brother. He would not fail the rest of his family. Hell or highwater, Darien would keep them safe and hunt those who sought to harm his family.

Rae's shoulders slumped as tears brimmed in her dark eyes, "No...No I know you are doing what you can." She swallowed past the thick lump in her throat, "I just cannot sit idle and do nothing. I want him home. Safe. And like you I am trying to do everything in my power to do just that." She added stubbornly.

"But it is not your power Rae. It is Mina's. She will bear the mark for summoning the Dark Being. She will be marked for life as a target of weak will who can be manipulated by the Demons. Do you think that is what Malachite would want for his mate?" Darien demanded.

"You are right, he would hate every part of this," Mina said so softly behind him dread pooled in his stomach, "But he is mine too," she said fiearcely, "And I'll lie, cheat, and kill to get him back to me. He is my mate as much as I am his. In this matter Darien you have no say. If you cannot find him by your means, I will damn well do it the only way I know how."

With that he watched the last ingredient being added to her spell just as the air pulled tight on his skin. He could feel the power she called forth. His brother had taken no slouch as a mate. She packed quite a punch as the power whirled around the summonding circle.

Bracing himself he faced forward he urged his sisters behind him and readied for a fight.

Below him knelt the prettiest silver haired Demon he had ever seen.

For a few moments in time they simply stared at eachother.

88888888888888

"It worked," The black hair woman whispered in hushed astonishment to Serena's right.

"You DOUBTED me?" snapped the blond by the small alter. Serena managed to tear her eyes from the dark angel in front of her to focus on the blond witch. She was the current threat. It took alot of power to summon a Dark Being even if she was only a halfing. This witch was dangerous, even with her senses contained with in the summonding circle she would feel the waves of power that poured off the slim figure.

Craning her neck, Serena tried to take in her surrounding. Besides the alter it seemed like a normal...hunting...get away...cabin. A large bed covered in furs that sat in the corner seemed to dominate the one room wooden structure, leaving little room and walking space for a table, two chairs, and minimal kitchen equipment.

It was sort of a miracle that they managed to get a decent summoning circle in the cabin given the size.

After cataloging the possible weapons to use against her summoners she looked up. Chin raised as far as it could go in defiance she stared up at the dark hair angel in front of her and waited.

The blond witch stepped forward, edging her way around the large male who had placed himself firmly in front. To protect them from her? She didn't get far before she was firmly moved backward.

"I'm seeking information on a Lykan who was dragged against his will to The Below," she stated, her blue eyes drilled into her. Begging for answers. Nothing but innocents in their blue light.

For some reason Serena was immediatly annoyed. Her position in fate had never seemed more evident until that moment. Innocents stood outside the circle and here she was bound and tied to the floor by magic because the fates had decided she was evil and controllable by others. It was grossily unfair and made her tone snarky and short, "Well, I don't know any Lykans. Guess I'm not much use," she said, "So how you send me back to wench I came."

The blond frowned at her, "I summonded you here to give you an errand. To find information about the Lykan in question," her eyes took in Serena's small attempts to test the bonds of the circle, "I assure you that will hold you until I say otherwise. So save me the time enforcing the control I have over you and let us cut to the chase. I will provide with a name and need to know information. You will have three days to find me the information I desire."

Well she certainly sounded like a woman in control, Serena thought.

And to give credit where credit was due the witch had made a nice summoning ring that would hold her, but it lacked the symbols to cause pain.

Prehaps a White Witch who was bluffing?

Time to test the theory.

Serena pulled hard on the magic that bound her. From past experience she knew that while a tug might not loosen her, it could cause the circle to rippled and the summonder to panic. Sometimes they made the mistake of being to close and disrupting the ring. She wouldn't get that lucky this time. But she would see what the witch was made of.

Like always the ring rippled around her, the witch before her cried out, "Enough Demon!Test me and I will drill you in to submission to get what I want."

The angel next to her gaped at the witch as if he couldn't believe the person standing next to him.

"Do it!" Serena snarled angrily, pulling harder and harder on the magic. Under her wrists she felt the bonds that held her down lose their grip. The witch might be powerful enough to summon her but under stress she lacked the focus to control her completely within the circle. "Do you worst Witch," she taunted, "Make me wither in pain, force your will on me. Tell me when you already have me bound on my knees-who will be the monster? Me? Bound and never having laid eyes on you before? Or you? The witch who summonded and threatened me?"

The bonds on her wrist snapped Serena flew back and thudded the invisible barrier that kept her contained.

The three openly stared at her as she got to her feet. Chin held high she faced them all and glared over her nose in the most regal manner she could impose naked as she was.

The witch stomped forth, hands raised with malicious intent. Her blue eyes glittered in the candles while power seemed to push the air out of the room. "I warned you Demon," she placed her hands on the barrier that held her. Fear slitered up Serena's spine. The Witch was out for blood and currently held all card. She had called Serena's bluff.

Now to pay the price.

"Enough Mina," the Angel declared, his massive hand grasping the witch's wrist gently, "There is nothing fair in burning a bird in a cage. You have nothing more than that here."

"She is far more dangerous than any bird," spoke the black haired woman. Her gaze was direct as she sized Serena up. The Witch might play in summonings but the two others would be less dramatic in ripping her head from her shoulders.

"True," the Angel agreed. His head cocked slightly to the side as he examined her. Giving the impression of an over grown puppy looking to play. Serena was sure it other form was much more vicious than the puppy she pictured in her head though.

Not that she had much knowledge or dealings with Lykans. While very social within their packs they were solitary from many other beings from the Above or Below. They tended to feel others where untrust worthy and were often highly suspicious of magics.. Not a bad call to make. Serena had encounted plently suspect characters and magics.

Which made it all the more interesting that one had taken a witch for his own. If she remembered correctly, Lykans took a mate for life. Shacking up with a woman who could turn you to fish oil long before you shifted forms said alot about the missing males constituion.

The Witch snatched her hand from the Angel.

A resolute quite took over the din of the cabin. Since out right violence and pain had been taken off the menu they seemed to be at a lull on how to deal with her.

Serena spoke first, addressing the Angel, "I have no knowledge of any Lykans. I do not reside in the Below, so I am of no use to you or yours. Return me to my home and everyone walks away with no damage to the other." Hopefully he would be more resonable.

She wanted to go home. Back to the simple life she had carved for herself since they last being who had chained her. She was free now and she wasn't going back to being anyone's slave. Her life was nothing outstanding that was true. The only thing to go home to was a half dead plant she barely kept alive on the best of days and Netflixs.

Which she loved.

Now if she could find someone to try that Netflixs and Chill slogan out with maybe it would be better.

But past expierences had made her six shades of gun shy. The half dead potted plant was a safer bet.

The Angel remained silent as he slid closer to her cage. His eyes were calculating when he said, "You do not reside in the Below or you cannot get to the Below?"

Serena remained quite.

He seemed to consider it answer enough when he spoke nexts. His voice was soothing, "Tell me Demon what would you trade for gathering the information we want?" After all the damage was done. In for a penny in for a pound. Better he take the blight than his family.

Her eyes narrowed.

"YOU have nothing I desire," she spoke coldly, her body held stiff and poised.

Darien was entraced by her. This was not the slathering beast he was expecting or the slicked tougned devil he had been warned about. The silver haired woman held captive by them looked innocent and sweet. There was a remote sadness that reflected in her eyes and she held herself with stiff hard earned pride. Her skin was so pale it shimmered inthe candle light, etched on it were battle scars and a pair of twin short swords that crossed along her back, running the length of her spin and thin waist.

This was the prefect demon. A goddess who's body brought attention and breathless voice begged men to lose reason. She was his every danger...

But the wolf inside him paced back in forth urging to move in closer and scent her without the barrier between him. He had been locked on to the pale beauty since she appeared in the circle. A desperate need rode him hard to gather her close and sink his nose to her neck to breath her in.

His wolf was clearly a moron.

She was a Dark Being and they were souless in the pursuit of death and destruction.

He made a gamble in that moment, far more desperate for the return on his brother than he had ever let on, "I don't believe that for a moment. Everyone wants something. So for the sake of arguing lets move past the denials. What is it you want in order to get me want I need?" He growled the last part.

He waited.

Waited.

And waited.

Just when Darien thought she would refuse to answer again and the ill informed summonding had been for nothing, she wet her plump lips, her voice sounded hoarse when she anwered, "Freedom. I want my freedom."


	2. Chapter 2

Summon Me

Chapter Two

Deal With Me

Darien cocked an eyebrow, "Be more specific in what you mean by freedom."

He was impressed when she kept his gaze. Directly she answered, "Freedom from summoning. I want your witch to find a way to seperate me from the name that calls me forth into a circle. For what you want, I never want another being to have the power to call me against my will."

Darien frowned as he reviewed her request. It certainly wasn't what he had thought she would ask for. He had been expecting money, an exchange of power, or a favor to be called in later. Never just a simple plead to be left alone. To not be subjected to another's will.

A request he could fully understand.

But one he didn't know if he could provide.

Glancing over his shoulder he silently asked Mina the question.

There was a subtle shrug of her shoulders. She wasn't sure.

Fair enough.

"I cannot guarentee that my witch would be able to do what you ask. If that type of magic even exists. I can strike a deal that for gathering information on our missing Lykan and assisting in his return should you find anything usefu; l we will do everything in our power to assist you in what you are asking." Darien bargined.

"What if I cannot find any information on your missing friend. If returning him in not an option? Where does that leave us?" Serena asked.

"With the same deal. If you do your part, I'll do mine," Darien confirmed.

"I agree," Serena nodded, her voice soft between them. Excitment and hope roared in her veins. To be free of another's will, to never again worry of when she will be called and for what. It sounded like paradise.

Darien sealed the deal, "I agree." Magic flared up suddenly. A lock on his soul, a mark that sat heavy. It seemed fate would make sure he kept his end of the bargin.

"Did you do that?" He snarled, suddenly suspicious. He had not antipicated an actual mystical binding deal, more of a good word as he was used to.

"Darien," Mina touched his arm, "You just struck a deal with a demon. What did you think would happen?" she chide. Clearly he had alot to would probably be a steap curve as he planned to make this is first, last, and only dealing with a demon.

Serena frowned, unsure of what she had done to upset the large Lykan in front of her, "The Brand of the deal forces me to comply as well," she re-assured him. He begrudgingly nodded in acknowlagment.

"Give me the information needed to find-" Serena broke off suddenly, spinning in place she watched as the circle that held her began to glow. A vibrant red that pulsed faster and faster around her. "Witch? What are you doing?" she asked, facing the blond.

"N-n-nothing!" Mina exclaimed, looking just as startled and worried.

"What's wrong?" Rae asked

"Summoning rings don't light up like this unless someone is summoning," Mina explained, "I don't understand what is happening," She flew to the alter to the right, flipping through a large leather bound book that was flanked by two stout candles.

Serena studied the symbols that incased her. They were very general, nothing of noteworthy significiants...

She knelt down trying to read the pulsing writing.

"When you summonded me-what title or request did you use?"

The witch looked bewlidered, "I-I-I used a general spell and enchantment requesting a demon of the blood line who took my mate to come forth,"

Serena sighed loud and put upon, "So you had no name? Used a blood line request?" she snapped, the pulsing had gotten so bright it blocked out the rest of the room.

"Yes, why?" Mina demanded, fear clawed at her tone making it raw. She felt the power rising.

The last flash erupted. Next to Serena in the small summonding circle stood another member of her father's blood line.

Her brother...cousin...long distance relative was massive. Clearly half troll or orge? Clearing seven feet his shoulders spanned nearly the entire circle. He was a block of sheer muscle with the lovely not so decorative ram rod straight horns that juted from his forehead. He smiled down at her, a display of silva ridden teeth that were half missing.

The smell just about knocked her over. His speech was marked with anger when he reliezed he was being held. He pounded hard on the summoning circle barrier. Making the magic ripple in affect of his rage. When the first couple poundings bore no fruit of escape he turned on her, his body pushing along the edges of the circle held him... that held them.

She ducked the first paw that swipped her way. She generally used her speed against her enemies in battle, but with no room to move she was greatly handicapped against demon-troll's strenght and size. He managed to grab her easily the second time around.

Slamming her body against the barrier several times he raged in her face.

Serena clawed at his hand that held her but the throat, stuggling to breathe, she kicked out. Her bare feet stuck bone and gave the troll no pause in his attack.

"Mina send it away," Darien commanded, watching the circle. He reached his hand out to grab the silver haired demon but it was quickly slapped down by his sister. He shot Rae a look.

"Are you crazy?" Rae raved, "You can't trust a demon and you were about to let two out!" Her voice was high and strained. He could see the whiskey gold of her wolf's eyes coming to the front for protection.

"If we let that one die," he pointed out, "the were are no better off than we were an hour ago for information about Mal." He might not like what his sisters did but he had resigned himself that in this instance a noble deed might require a bad choice. Letting the bad choice die before it became useful was not an option.

Serena forced herself to relax and think. Her head swam and her chest constricted, desperate to breathe. She struck out again, this time thrusting upwards and slamming the palm of her hand into the troll's large nose. With a crunch, he howled, blood poured down his body. He released her, reeling back to grab his face. Serena sucked in air as her bare feet hit the floorboards, emotions running high, her nails had turned to glitterly sliver claws. Luckily, the binding magic of the summoning circle didn't prevent her natural defenses from appearing.

She smashed through the under carriage of his chest, just between his ribs and ripped out his heart. The troll was dead before he hit the ground. Blood sprayed up and on to her body before pooling around her feet as he continued to bleed out.

"And to think I was going release you and help," came the scathing comment.

Serena turned to meet the Lykan's chilling gaze. The heart slipped from her fingers and plopped to the ground. More blood droplets dusted her body. She was sure she made a gruesome sight. She had seen her apperance after a round of killings...she never looked more like a demon than in those moments.

Silver claws, sliver eyes, lengthened canines and a slight sheen of silver to her skin. It made it thicker, harder to penatrate.

And those were just the changes he could see. Free of the circle she was far more dangerous.

"Would you have preferred I let him killed me?" She asked, sick of attitude. THEY had summoned HER. They didn't get to bitch because she was too demon for them. They were about to send her to The Below in order to search of information. "You can't have it both ways Lykan," she returned the tone, "You cannot summon a demon for a job and then complain because they act like a demon."

He breathed in heavily before opening his mouth, but the sight of the circle glowing again cut him off.

"Witch!" Serena exclaimed, "It is to crowded in each for another member of the blood line. Stop the damn summonings!"

"I'm trying," came the reply, but it was too little too late. A pair of new demons now filled the circle. Due to the lack of space with the dead demon-troll crunched on the ground they were forced to half stand on his dead corpse and lean against the summoning ring. The pair were identical, small boned, and frail in structure. They would have been less imitimating if power didn't roll off of them in waves.

Well trained magic users. With a frown the twin to the left raised his hand with the barest wave and the summoning barrier broke open as if he had just popped a balloon with a pin.

Having been mostly supported by the invisible wall due to the the lack of space she fell back, landing at the feet of male and female Lykan.

The twins attacked, breaking rank and taking on seperate targets. Lefty plowed into the blond witch, hitting her with both the force of his body and a waivering magical shield. Unprepared for the attack she was an easy target, thumping to the ground and not getting back up.

Like a bolt of black the small female Lykan returned the favor to Lefty, squaring off the two rounded on eachother.

A low growl rumbled on her side, the Angel showed his teeth and met Righty head on, slashing and clawing for dominance. Righty seemed to have less of his brothers affinity for magic. More of a physical warrior, he kept pace with grown Lykans extremely impressive combat skill.

Trying not to ogle the Angel, she stood and reached behind her.

Not inhibited by the summoning circle she was free to use her limited magics. The tattoos on her back rose to her commands, with a burn that was familar and comforting the twin blades touched the palms on her hands as she brought the curved short swords forward.

They had been forcefully inked in to her skin by no choice of hers by her first summoner. He had been powerful enough to control her for a time outside the circle as well as in it. He had found having a puppet who was always armed a benefit to his safety, until that puppet rebelled.

Still the weapons had saved her ass more than once. The beautiful details and power that had been inked into her body reflected in the corporaly blades.

The Angel pinned Righty to the floor and with little thought Serena brought a blade down, seperating his head from his body.

Behind her Lefty screamed, a tortured sound.

The severed head rolled across the floor, stopping at the feet of the unconscious witch. In her soul, Serena, felt the tie she had to her father's blood line weaken, a tiny snuff of light that seemed to be burnt out. She had never felt something like that before.

Prehaps the promixity to the deceased?

Because she delivered the finial blow?

Despite the obvious pain and turmoil Lefty re-bounded quickly, angered, he knocked the female Lykan aside easily. Snatching the book from the Alter he winked out of time and space. One momeent here, then next POOF gone to who know where.

Serena kept the swords firmly in hand as she faced the large male in front of her. They had been allies in this small skirmish. Would he still consider her so witht he other demon gone and her standing outside the summoning circle.

His dark eyes watched her warily. As if he knew how she felt...backed into a corner. She wasn't going to hurt him, but she wasn't going to be a victim either.

Been there, done that, never again.

Darien watched as the little demon in front of him lifted her chin. Her small power play to let him know he did not frighten her.

And he probably didn't.

Not after what she could have possibly seen in her life. Still as he watched her pull inward it was clear that the position was for defense.

"Rae?" he questioned, eyes still on the silver demon.

The huff let him know more than her words. His sister was alright, just winded, "I'm fine. Mina is too. She's just going to have a good size bump on her eye from the pile drive she took."

Darien nodded, "Pick her up, take her home and bandage her. Alert the pack. We haven't seen the last of the demon who escaped. I'll not have our members hurt from careless actions." His voice was rough.

"Darien-" Rae started, but one look from her brother had her bowing her head. He was right. There was enough damage tonight. But concern for his safety had her trudging on , "I don't want to leave you with a demon, it's not safe."

"I'll be fine," he determined, staring at the demon who had yet to drop the wicked looking swords she held her hands.

While his sister was proned to argue she quietly picked up Mina, glanced back for one last look and walked out of the cabin.

Across the small space he continued to stare at the demon. He took a step back to give her space, a small momento of trust.

Serena offered a small smile and let the swords sink back into her skin. While the Lykan's eyes widened in suprise he remained silent.

Stalemate.

Someone had to make the first step.

"My name is Serena," she said, her voice felt husky and rough. Suddenly, she was very aware of being naked and soaked with blood in front of him. Looking down...yup...she was dripping on the bare floors.

"Darien," he acknowledged.

Peeking around him she spotted a small shower. Prefect!

Darien tensed slightly when she started towards him. Unsure of the female who boldly waltzed across the floor naked, covered in blood, and sporting magical tattoos. She was in many ways out of his relam of knowledge.

She was a singluar shining creature in a world of dull colors.

He tracked her as she moved around him, careful to give him space as well he could see. His were glued to her hips as they swayed around him and into the shower room.

"I'm going to clean up, then we'll talk and sort this out," She announced, promptly shutting the door in his face.

He was amused, his wolf was aroused.

Feeling strangly calm despite recent events, he flopped into the overstuffed chair that sat next to the alter.

He couldn't quite keep the wicked grin that spread on his face as he waited for the silver haired demon to exit the shower.

Serena..


	3. Chapter 3

Summon Me Chapter 3

Serena washed her hair again...for the third time. Not to pull the remaining blood out of the strands, she had had to many bloody battles to care much that it stained the tips of her silver hair. Instead to delay walking out of the small bathroom. She had been all bravo when she had swayed her way past the massive Lykan.

Time to think underneath the steamy shower had lessened her courage to face the man outside. She had been alone for such a long time, removed from contact of mortals and immortals alike. Sure she talked to the nice lady who rang her up at the grocery store and smiled meekly at the cable man who had installed her internet in the small apartment. But they were moments in time, a point to point contact in her otherwise lonely life. Outside those small contact points she was completely devoid of a relationship of any kind for so long. It had made her feel safer. Lonely but safe.

It made her anxious on how to continue with the Lykan waiting for her.

Regardless, lonely was better than controlled.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat she got out of the shower, dried her hair the best she could and wrapped the damp cloth around her body. Running her fingers through her damp hair, she pulled lightly at the tips hanging to her hips. Most of the blood had come out. It was a start.

Bravely, Serena stepped out of the bathroom.

The large Lykan sat sprawled in an overstuffed chair, midnight blue eyes intent on her as she made her way forward. Like before he swallowed the room whole with presense. Slowly, she took her time to study him with her eyes, roaming each piece of him. Oddly enough, she had the strangest feeling that he was enjoying it, encouraging her inspection even.

Blushing, Serena padded softly into the room.

"You aren't what I expected," Darian murmmered in the quiet.

Neither was he but she choose to ignore the comment, "Do you have extra clothing?" she asked, indicating to her current attire.

Those eyes narrowed on her, clearly displeased that she had brushed him off. Mmmm...temper temper.

He nodded and pointed towards a small dresser on the back wall. Inside she found a couple pairs of jeans, socks, and shirts. The sizes varied greatly. It was clear that the cabin wasn't a family place but rather a pack place. It made sense that things would be left to acommadate everyone who came and went.

Darien watched intently as Serena dropped her towel when she turned her back towards him and began to dress. The clothing was all but swamped her. She lacked female Lykan height but certainly matched them for curves. The little demon was a contridiction.

Studied his body boldily, but blushed at the end.

Fought demons naked with no problem but yet kept her back to him while she dressed as though modesty had won out.

He was so stealthy on his feet that she made no indication that he had risen from the chair. Oblivious until he place his hand on her newly clothes hips. Leaning in he ran his nose the length of her small shoulder, breathing deep he tickled her ear when he exhauled. She smelled like moonlight on the night of the full moon, like freedom, and running. She smelled like the hunt of all things wild but pure.

Serena swallowed thickly, her tounge sticking to the roof of her mouth, "W-what are you doing?" she stuttered.

"Taking in your scent," he said softley, his breathing russeling her silver curls at the base of her neck. Serena's breath caught and came shuddering out of her. With more certainity than she felt she neatly stepped to the right side out of his reach and turned to face him.

He looked confused by her. His dark brow furroud in contemplation, regardless his dark eyes stared hard at her. She had a feeling he was trying to cateloge her into his knowledge of the world and couldn't make her fit. A too large circle meant for a square box.

"Why?" she asked, the question was driving her insane.

He arched a brow, the look of confusion gone.

"Why were you taking in my scent?"

Darien grinned, "To hunt you."

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"Mal!" Mina screamed, reaching out in front of her to grab the hands of her mate. Fear made her body quick and she shivered, her hearted pounded so hard she could hear the tempo beat wildly inside her head. She had barely grasped his finger tips before his body was snatched from sight, a single imprint marred the hard floor, just an echo of the portal from below.

An image where they took him from her.

"Mal," she screamed again, her body racked with sobs as she pounded against the floor. Desperate to bring him back, desperate to reach him before their torture left a broken man and not one that was hers any longer.

"Mal! Mal! Mal!" she chanted. Each word puntuated with her fist slamming to the floor. Magic swirled around her, gathering tight around her body, called from fear, from love, from anger, from hurt. Unstable it lashed out around her, crashing unfocused into the surroundings. Lamps shattered apart, tables crashed to the floors, the room shook with the force of her power. When she opened The Below they would tremble before her, she vowed. Rage gained momentum over the other feelings, so blinded by it she continued to slam her fist pulling back a bloody mess but felt nothing.

"MAL!" she snarled this time. Head swam with power...and...then...there was darkness.

Mina opened her eyes, her chest tight, her hands shaking, and her body drenched in sweat.

"Mina?" Rei whispered, coming to the beside of her sister-in-law, "Are you alright?" she asked with great concern. They both knew she already knew the answer to that question.

Mina closed her eyes, drew upon her last remaining will power and sat up. They both ignored the last remains of her night terror and beginnings of a panic attack. What use would it do either of them to bring it up?

Mina nodded and looked around at the was not the cabin. Instead the two were standing in her room at the Manor. Mine felt the fear begin to swell in her chest again.

Scenting the panic Rei spoke quickly in an attempt to cut it off, "I moved you here after the battle. I thought you would rest better in your own bed," she said, sitting down next her.

"Darien?" Mina questioned, rubbing her ribs.

"At the cabin. Alive, angry with us, but alive and handling negogations with the demon you summounded."

"Rei," Mina gasped in horror, "The summouning ring was broken! It is free! Why would you leave in alone in there with that...that...thing." She bounded from the bed, avoiding the fall as she stumbled only because Rei was so quick to grab her as she started to go down. Mina felt damn right mutanious as Rei lifted her with the ease of a wolf and re-positioned her on the bed.

"I hate it when you wolves do that?" she growled, the last emotions of the day making her snap like a rubber band pulled to tight.

Rei's eyes narrowed, "Well next time I'll let you hit the floor and crack your head to go with your cracked ribs," she snapped in return.

The silence was deafening.

Just as quickly as her anger had came it left. Leaving Mina to feel as a deflated balloon.

"I'm sorry," Mina said, her voice muffled in her hands that covered her face. Her shoulders were shaking viloently and the bed rocked with the force of her small body as she sobbed quietly into her own arms.

Rei felt helpless as she curled next to her sister and held her tight as she wept. With in moments they were both clinging tightly to one another, silence tears streaking down their pale cheaks.

"I'm so scared," Mina confessed between sobs.

Rei said nothing, she felt the same way. Rutterless, confused, and to afraid to hope that their bad idea might be what saves them all.

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The little demon cared naught for his announcement or what she considered a very poor attempt at humor. Darien couldn't help himself, he found the shock on her face highly amusing. He chuckled as she scowled crossly at him. Instantly he felt like he was betraying his brother some how and stopped smiling.

Serena studied the Lykan infront of her. His moods seem to change on a whim. But he was facinating.

"Tell me about the Lykan you wish me to gain information on," Serena requested, slidding into one of the two chairs at the table.

"The vow we made before," Darien questioned first, "Does this keep you from using the information against me? To hurt those I love?"

Hurt flashed across Serena's features before she could tamp it down.

"No," she answered honestly, the Gods Above & Below forbid he should find out at a later date, "But the freedom I want after I have completed my task most certainly will."

He looked as if he was trying to decided to believe her or not. She tried not to be unreasonably irriated by that.

She was commonly untrusted by her own kind and others. After all Demon hadn't made their mark in history by treating others well and being great fluffy bunnies to deal with. In fact, those who came off that way were always the most powerful, they had just learned to disguise it better. So big fluffy bunnies became monsters.

The rest of the magical world did well to remember this. She came from a long line of monsters who hunted other monsters. What did you call the thing that even monsters feared?

At least that was her father's side. Her mother? Unknown, but whatever she had been she had been powerful enough that when she had been born she had been gifted with a soul. She was unusal that way. Her soul gave her a choice, the free will to decided if she would follow down the path of all the monsters before her or carve out her own fate.

A halfing demon with a soul was a rare thing. Rare things were coveted. Hence, a life time of service for those who had learned of her existance. It was odd now that she thought of it, while there had been several summoners over the years who had called her forth and chained her to their will. No one from either side of her blood lines had ever found her.

Whatever her mother had been the woman had not had the power to escape The Below. Serena had been born there, ran the caverns of The Below, discovered the dementions that littered the planes from their till The Above. She had survived a childhood that should have been an instant death sentence and a adulthood rife with masters who thought they could chain her.

She was an oddity.

Even knowing nothing of her past, he was right to abide the stories of her kind. To tread carefully before offering her a sad excuse of trust. Only fools trusted demons.

The powerful Lykan before her looked to be anything but a fool.

Still...just once to not be judged by her blood lines but by her actions. To be given a chance that she was worth trusting. That she was worth more than the sum total of her blood line.

Darien nodded. An answer neither way.

"He is called Malachite the Risen," Darien answered, declaring his brother's moniker with some pride. It was well earned, and the those of Lykan Clans knew it well.

"Risen to what?" Serena couldn't help but ask. She understood the moniker. Many beings from the Betweens used them. Given for a single trait, talent, adventure, for ability that ranked high above any other if its kind. Always given never sought. She supposed if she was to have one it would be Serena the Oddity.

Depressing thought.

But her lip twitched at the man's obvious pride over the man named Malachite.

"To greatness," came the short reply. Seemed no other information was forth coming on that matter. "He is my older brother, a Lykan, over six centuries old." Darien looked up, uncertain if this was the type of information the little demon needed to extract him from The Below. "He is my height, blond in coloring, croaked nose from being broken to often before he became of age, his left arm is tattooed from shoulder to wrist with old clan markings. To you they would look like wind whisps and strange writing, a gold armlet is worn on his right arm. So thick it would cover much of his lower forearm. It bears the insigna of First Alpha...of King."

Serena inhaled sharply. The demon had dragged the King of the Lykans to The Below! Who the fuck was stupid enough to do that.

That called for war.

A War the Lykans were greatly out matched for, a war that would destroy a vast majority of their civilization. But it was a call that could not be ignored.

Darien studied the little demon across the table, watching her take in and understand the gravity of the situation before them. He saw the compassion in her eyes.

It left him baffled. What demon would...could understand the pain? Yet, here sat one who clearly did.

"How long do I have to find him?"

"I do not know. I have held back the clans from unfocused war for several weeks. What good would it do to rage a demention we don't understand on a people who may not have him?" He said wearily, his eyes flashing with impotant rage. "I have no leads on who has taken him or why. I have a burnt floor with an imprint on my brother as he was dragged to The Below, I have a distraught Witch Queen who is moment from burning us to the ground in order to save him, I have an army that would war for their King, but not knowledge of who to war with, and last I have a silver haired demon who may be the only one who can find my brother. If for nothing more than to give me a direction to lead my men to inorder to savage their world." He glanced up, his eyes boaring into hers, "But I cannot tell you how long you have to find him or if there is a man to find any longer."

Serena nodded, her heart breaking at the pain behind his dark eyes. She had never had any family to speak, none that she knew about anyways. Certainly none that would face down any entire kingdom, and unknown enemy, and such uncertainy to find her.

"Tell me about the night he was taken," she requested.

His voice was gruffily filled with emotion, rough as he spoke, "We were...the clan here were celebrating my mother's birthday. It was her first without my father present. We thought to set a new tradition for her. To keep her from the waning that seems to already be present. No suprising. Most mates often follow with in a short time. It was late when the attack came, un-expected as was the type we were unprepared. The ground within the main hall opened up before us, it was chaos as the Dark Beings poured out."

"Beings?!" Serena interuppted, ghast, "How many?" She could remember seeing the Dark Being soliders of The Below they were terrifying. Hulking beasts that seemed to be made of soild armor. One alone was enough to make any full grown person quake in fear, she couldn't imagine seening a small army desend upon one spot.

"Yes beings," he confirmed, "The rest is a blur," Darien admitted, feeling shameful.

"Why a blur?"

Darien rubbed his temples trying to rid himself of the pounding that started whenever he tried to remember the night clearly. He wasn't the only one who seemed to have trouble. After the demons had erupted from the center all it was hard to determine what had really happened. He remember the chaos, the screamed, the men around him changing quickly, fights surrounding him. The dead bodies at his feet when the portal had closed spoke loudly of his peoples skills and strength. They had killed more than they had lost but at the end it mattered little. They had lost so much in a battle they couldn't know the cause of.

"I'm not sure, many of us are having a hard time remember exactly what occured. I know the jist, I remember the strong feelings, I remember rushing to my family, slaughtering several of the Dark Beings before me. I know I pulled one off of Rei, but I don't fully remember when they took my brother or how. Just that they portal closed and left an imprint that stained the floor, the only indication that they had even arrived on our side of the world," he clarified.

Serena frowned, it would have taken a powerful magic user to befuddle so many people. More power than a standard soilder from the Dark Being forces. The kidnap had been well thought out.

"Can you take me to the imprint from the portal? It might help me gain some information on where to look."

"You stay with me at all times," he commanded, leading the way out of the cabin.

Serena rolled her eyes behind his back. It would appear that trust she wanted would be hard to ever come by. Quietly she followed behind him down the wooden path. It wasn't a bad view if she was honest. He did have a nice shape to look at, his shoulders rolling as though he was prowling and not just walking the path.

The way he moved said he was to be fear.

That he was King.

A title she was sure he would happily give over in the span of a heart-beat.

Following him, she irrationally found herself wanting that type of love.

The love to face all odd when they were stacked against you. The love to be brave in the face of death. Because whether he knew it or not. That was what her freedom was going to cost her.

Death.


End file.
